Make sure an opthamologist does yours, not a laser tech.
I'd insist that a qualified doctor goes about cutting on my eyes... I only get the one set.

I've seen prices in the $1000/eye out there. Try the local eye hospital and research carefully.

I got mine via eBay!
But then they were the biggest company in the UK at the time, and they were just selling off late-notice slots. It meant they kept their clinics full and their staff working, rather than sitting around, so it was significantly cheaper. Usually you got to pick and choose when you went in, and that cost about £500 per eye. Mine was £295 per eye from memory. Not much more than that anyway, and I got to pay in 12 monthly installments (interest free).

I honestly can't remember what my surgical procedure was called - they have different names in the UK and US. It was the less invasive treatment, and the cheapest, but had a longer recovery time than the other. I didn't choose it for the price - it was the most suitable for my eyesight (-3.75 and -3.50) although I admit they recommended the other treatment to me just because of the quicker recovery.

I have to say it was very painful afterwards. I understood that I'd just been given strong painkillers, but I think it must have been sleeping tablets as I dozed on the sofa on and off for 48 hours. I was sensitive to light for the best part of 5 days, and the bruising around my eyes made me look terrible for the best part of a week.

But other people I know had the more serious surgery and were back at work the next day. Meh - I know I bruise ridiculously. I took pictures of it on my camera phone for my Mum & Dad, but that's long gone. It was also useful evidence when I got some funny looks at work for taking a week off (annual leave).

Cheers V, I missed those the first time round for some reason (BTW - my post is closer to the start of the thread, but says more or less what I did on here).

I think she must have had the same surgery I did. Dry eyes were a problem for me for the best part of a year afterwards. I'd forgotten that. But easily dealt with by fake-tears gel. Actually I remember I had my final checkup on July 7th 2005. I took the day off just in case and got home just in time to see the first reports of the London bombings coming through. I didn't need any fake tears that day.

hahaha, I guess I took my time responding?! (completely forgot about you guys, for a minute there.)

will do.

Well I finally made the call. I have a consultation scheduled for this Thursday at TLC laser eye center in Indy. I'm psyched and scared all at the the same time.

Oh, oh, lazer eyes... cool. You can be a superhero.:D

good luck, Pico....

It seems like everyone always say they wish they'd done it sooner.

Be brave, Pico! It's absolutely worth it. I've been thrilled with my laserized eyes for more than 10 years now.

Im really very excited, Im entering a realm that I havent experienced since before the third grade. I dont even care if I still have to wear reading glasses; to be able to wake up in the morning and not have to reach for my eyeglasses to see the clock is going to be fantastic.

When the maid wakes you up, after placing your breakfast tray down, and opening the curtains, she should tell you what time it is. Get better help. ;)

good for you pico! :)

I wear reading glasses and that's frustrating enough especially since there not usually on your head when you need them.

When I was about 15, I was thrown from my horse and landed on my face. One nose job, coming up!

Haven't had any other such surgeries, but if I had the dough, I'd go for some belly lipo - and not so much to be thinner/attractive, but to make it easier to find pants that fit properly.

I'm not terribly overweight (could stand to lose 20 lbs), but my belly has puffed out in my old age, and everything else has stayed the same. I end up with pants that fit my ass but are too tight around the middle, or pants that fit around my middle, but have all this baggy material hanging loose on the backside.

*sigh*

Good thing I live out in the middle of nowhere. Sweats are my clothing of choice. :D

My fat goes to my saddlebags. I have gained about 8 pounds in the last month and thats where it ALL went. My butt looks horrible. I sometimes wish I had your problem instead, Glinda.

By the time you read this Pico, you'll be all lasered up!
I hope it went well. The smell though... ewwwwww. No-one tells you about the smell of your own burning eyeballs. Major ick.

I'm looking into having a gastric hypno band procedure.
It's a fake medical procedure to kid you into thinking you have had a gastric band fitted. Obviously no invasive surgery takes place, just counselling, hypnosis, CBT and NLP. They have great success rates at a fraction of the cost of surgery. Also, with mine and my family's history of reflux, I'm unlikely to be accepted for actual surgery even if I could afford it.